Border Patrol agents in Texas were tipped off by a ranch hand earlier this week to a suspicious Chevrolet Avalanche that had just loaded up illegal immigrants from the side of the road. Customs and Border Protection says it has recorded 15 migrant deaths in Texas so far this month, and seven of those have been blamed on exposure to the cold. “In recent days, Border Patrol has conducted rescues of individuals who were mercilessly abandoned by smugglers. Yet some smugglers figured the weather would also be enough of a hindrance for law enforcement that it is worth the try. Local news reports said Border Patrol agents have performed hundreds of rescues of migrants caught in the deep freeze.
